


Labyrinth of Lies

by ForsakenFangirl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Ilvermorny - Fandom
Genre: Ilvemorny, Original Characters - Freeform, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Original Male Character(s) - Freeform, What am I doing, idk how to tag, send help, tbh every character is original
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-13 12:17:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11184954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForsakenFangirl/pseuds/ForsakenFangirl
Summary: Mara, Yasmine, and Alecia were about as different as they came for triplets and normal, well that was never a word used to describe them. Returning home from summer camp the girls were fearing their looming return to school, and the end of their holidays. However, things don’t always go as planned, and life for the three girls was about to become as far from normal as one can get.





	1. Destiny

Mara

Some people say our destiny is set in stone from the moment we are born, others prefer to think that we forge our own way in this world, ever changing with the choices we make, or don’t make. Either way, destiny or chance, I don’t think it anyone foresaw what was to come the day we got our letters.   
The last day of Summer and none of us expected to arrive home from Camp, tanned and excitable, to see our parents waiting expectantly for us. Both on the couch in the lounge with their hands folded and their faces meaning business. Of course, the blame turned to me. Being the most troublesome of a set of triplets you could say that I didn't as much have a knack for making trouble as trouble had a knack for finding me, but this time I could safely assure my sisters that being out of the house for the last seven weeks could prove it wasn't my doing, whatever “it” was.   
“It's ok, I can go in there and smooth it over,” Alecia, the rational one, was assuring Yasmine after we had walked in the door to hear the dreaded “girls can you come here for a minute” from the living room.   
“I think we should all go,” Yasmine replied. “Safety in numbers.”   
I nodded, letting the strap of my camp issued duffle bag slide off of my shoulder. “Right,” I lined up shoulder to shoulder with Alecia and Yasmine and started my first inspirational speech of the school year, something that usually occurred when I had gotten my siblings into trouble and had my heart set on getting them back out of it. “I say we go in there, we hit them and we hit them hard, ‘hi Mom and Dad! Yes camp was good, no we got in no trouble, yes whatever Josh Brooks said he is lying, sorry we can't talk now we’re tired.’”  
I mapped out the impending conversation with our parents, half of my mind calculating the odds of us being able to barricade ourselves in our room until Thanksgiving. Our window wasn’t that high. Surely if we pooled all of our savings together I could make a run to the convenience store every week or so, and if I fell, well I didn’t think breaking my arm a third time could hurt that much.  
“Or,” Alecia pushed in front of Yasmine and I. “We could just let me go in and talk to them on an intellectual level. I’m sure I can reason with them and get you out of whatever mess you’ve put yourself in, Mara.”  
Clapping a hand onto my chest and feigning shock, I replied. “I am actually so hurt that you can jump to such a conclusion. Can’t it ever be someone else's fault for a change? I’m pretty sure that regardless of whatever else may have gone down, that Josh threw the first punch.”   
Alecia and Yasmine didn’t look convinced.   
“Besides,” I added. “What if it isn’t even me. One of Yazzie’s animal rescue cases could have taken a liking to the new sofa, or to be honest, you’ve probably gone and read us out of house and home.”   
Alecia rolled her eyes. “In case you can’t already see it, Yaz is literally the sweetest person alive, and practically incapable of wrongdoing in Mom and Dad’s eyes. And if I was to commit a felony, my decisions would be way too calculated to be caught by a pair of forty-year-olds.”  
By this time we were practically going at it head to head. With both of us being at basically opposite ends of the personality scale, it tended to happen a lot, Yasmine was the one barrier between us that made sure neither of us killed the other when we were at odds. 

“Guys,” came the calm voice of Yasmine as she stood watching us, arms folded and a look of deja vu on her face. Neither of us acknowledged her.   
“Guys,” she said again, more forcefully this time. Still nothing.   
“Guys!”   
Both Alecia and I froze, heads slowly turning towards our sister for an explanation.   
“Did it cross either of your minds that we have no idea if we’re even in trouble?”  
Alecia paused, considering the odds but I shook my head.   
“No way,” I decided. “Did you hear that tone? That was definitely a ‘you are so dead to me’ voice.” I shivered, “trust me I’ve heard it enough.”  
We probably could have stood in the foyer of our house putting off the inevitable for as long as it took, but unfortunately, we weren’t given that option. 

“Were you three planning on joining us?” I heard my father's voice appear around the corner and my face lit up.   
“Dad!” I ran to his arms, only half as a distraction.   
“Hey Ruckus,” he greeted warmly as my sisters joined the hug. “Do you three mind coming in here for a second?” He nodded into the living room.   
Exchanging sideways glances us three followed him reluctantly and I felt myself tugging at my navy camp singlet, nervously fidgeting with the edge of it. I didn’t usually worry this much about getting in trouble. It was sort of my thing really, however, this time felt different, my parents seemed awfully calm about this and that was never a good thing.   
As we rounded the corner and fanned out into a line in front of the fireplace, I noted three envelopes sitting on the otherwise immaculate coffee table. They were fanned out into a neat arch, all spotless and white with elegant cursive over the front, with the only sign that they had been touched by life being the broken seal on the middle envelope that had once shown an intricate design in navy wax.   
Now that design was unrecognisable and the envelope had gone through an attempt of being resealed.   
“So, these came for you a couple of weeks ago,” Mom started nodding to the display of envelopes. Now that she said that words started to form out of the looped cursive ink. Taking what my Mom had said as a cue to pick up my assigned letter I gave her a frown before letting my fingers skim each one until my name came into focus. 

Miss Mara Alexandra Haven Webb  
E Broadway,   
Boston, MA

“Who sends letters anymore?” I wondered as Alecia found her envelope, followed by Yasmine who went ahead and chose the remaining one, the already opened one.   
“That’s just about what we thought,” Dad said as my fingers found the unbroken seal and pried the wax from the paper. “Until…”  
The envelope flew out of my hands and I was tempted to believe it was a freak gust of wind until it took off of its own accord and went on a joyride around the room above our heads for a bit as if stretching its legs before returning to the centre of the living room.   
Hanging in mid-air, open side facing my sisters and I, I noticed that more than a life of its own, my letter seemed to have a personality now. Making its small creases and folds into a face with the broken wax seal shaping into a pair of lipsticked lips. Us three girls stood face to face with this strange thing, while behind it my parents didn’t really seem as terrified as they should have when watching an object being animated to life.   
With a furrowed brow I raised a slightly shaking hand to do something completely brainless. “Hey there...floating stationery?”   
My greeting turned into a question as I looked around the envelope to my Dad who held a finger out as if to say ‘wait for it’.  
Even though I wasn’t looking to my sisters, I could feel Alecia looking at me like I had completely gone insane, it was a look I got a lot, to be honest.   
Yasmine threw me a sideways dance, “what are you do-”  
“Miss Mara Alexandra Haven Webb.”  
Silence in the room as the letter decided it was time to share its message. Heart fluttered and sisters jolted in fright, our hands shaking slightly as the things ethereal glow shaded our faces blue.   
“Hm,” I heard Yasmine mumble, seeing her eyebrows knit.  
“Should that be talking?” Alecia wondered, thoroughly perplexed.   
Mom nodded her head in response, “there’s more.”  
Vigorously disagreeing Alecia started to call out our father on what she was sure to be a practical joke, “come on Dad, where are the speakers and wires-”  
“No. Wait. Let the freaky letter speak,” I held out my hand to stop Alecia’s rational side taking over a situation that should have absolutely nothing rational about it. My parents weren’t known for practical jokes, and I could tell that they were as confused about all this as we were.   
Pursing her lips, Alecia stepped back and shut her mouth, Yasmine looking both scared and concerned for my wellbeing at how calm I seemed.   
The letter soon carried on.   
“Miss Mara Alexandra Haven Webb,” it repeated, obviously feeling as if it was ignored the first time. “I have been sent to inform you of your acceptance into Ilvermorny School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.”  
“Really?” I wondered sarcastically. “I wasn’t aware I’d applied.”  
The letter carried on, ignoring or not hearing my comment. “Your name was on the roll the minute you were born, Miss Webb. The second you arrived in this world your power was evident.”   
“TMI,” I informed it. “Carry on, please.”   
The letter pitched forwards almost like a nod. “Very well.” It seemed to find it’s place in the information it was supposed to be telling and resumed. “Please find enclosed a list of the necessary books and equipment.”  
I tried to grab the letter to find the enclosed list but it dodged out of reach.  
“The Ilvermorny term starts 5th of July, however, students are required to arrive the evening of the 4th,” it continued, madly ducking and dodging away from my grasp. “First Years must report to Professor Calladyn, First Year Dean, upon arrival. We await your owl no later than the 15th of August. Yours sincerely, M. Amhurst. Headmaster of Ilvermorny School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry.”   
“August 15th,” I muttered, “that’s two days from now.”

The letter then fell silent, so did we. It seemed like no one would speak until Yasmine’s voice came, “if I open mine, will it do that?” she asked, sounding terrified of the answer.   
Mom and Dad nodded wordlessly, their faces mirroring ours.   
My eyes lit up excitedly, “oh, do it!” I urged her.   
“Mara!” Alecia warned.   
“Alecia,” I replied, feigning innocence.   
“Girls, please!” Mom begged, twisting the chain of her pendant around her finger, creating a loop so tight I was sure she was either going to cut off circulation in her finger or snap the fragile gold links. It was a sign of stress that I knew all too well. My parents, being the successful individuals were used to having their way, they liked order and they didn’t have much time to spare between job and home life. Not the ideal set of circumstances for raising a set of triplets each with their own distinct, and sometimes clashing personality, and a young boy who sometimes seemed like he would never stop. Our eight-year-old brother Devon, being the ball of energy that he was, had tried every sport under the sun but found his passion for baseball at the age of three. We were high maintenance kids I had to admit, and every single time I had interrupted my parents day to be picked up from the principal's office for mouthing off or the nurse with a black eye, it had been met by that same little habit. As if the tighter she tangled that necklace the more she could reign us all in.   
Narrowing my eyes in response to my Mom, I snatched Yasmine’s letter, lifting the disrupted seal and letting it fly.   
Lining up with its sister letter, Yasmine’s envelope shifted and wiggled, forming a face, a mouth, eyes.   
“Miss Yasmine Rose Webb-” It started reciting, but I intercepted it.   
“Yeah, we get it,” I said, then following a gut feeling I had after how my letter had reached last time, I asked, “so, can we hear the list of books and necessary equipment?”  
The letter stopped, it features shifting like it was scanning the information it held, then, “First Year Students Will Require: One full set of formal uniform; One full set of everyday uniform; One full set of house uniform to be received upon arrival and placement.”  
Behind the growing line of floating letters my parents face turned from a sort of resigned terror to straight out confusion, obviously, they hadn’t gotten this far with Yasmine’s letter when they’d decided to open it without us.   
“And The Following Sets Of Books:” the envelope carried on. “The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 1, by Miranda Goshawk; A Revised History Of Magic, by Hermione Granger; Wizarding History of America, Eleana Marshall; Magical Theory, by Adalbert Waffling; A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, by Emeric Switch; One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, By Phyllida Spore; Magical Drafts and Potions, by Arsenius Jigger; The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, by Quentin Trimble; Chadwicks Charms Vols I - VII, by Chadwick Boot.”  
Thinking the talking piece of stationery was done and wanting to be either polite or idiotic I started to say, “thank you-”  
“All Students Must Be Equipped With: One standard ‘Size 2’ pewter cauldron; One set of glass or crystal phials; One set of silver scales; One brass telescope; One wand which shall be assigned to the student upon arrival at Ilvermorny. Students are reminded that they may also bring a pet of their own choice within the proper restrictions.”  
This time it was the end. The letter had informed me of all it knew it regards to my question and fell silent, hanging in the air next to my one as if waiting for its third counterpart.   
It didn’t have long to wait, however, because there was a crumbling sound of paper and all too soon Alecia’s letter was set free.   
Alecia herself had shed her earlier doubts and now had an eager look on her face that made me think she felt like this moment was the beginning of something fantastic. The first chapter in a story she was itching to write down. 

“So, seemingly-magic-floating-letter,” she started with a mischievous smile.  
“Yes, Miss Alecia Melody Katherine Webb,” it replied, apparently learning its lesson from Yasmine’s letter and waiting until it received a command.   
“What is Ilvermorny?” she wondered.   
Scanning its information, the letter gathered itself, going to reply before Dad cut in.   
“Ok, no.” Alecia’s letter turned to face him as if trying to say ‘rude!’ “A Q and A session was not the point of this,” he carried on, oblivious to the offended stationery. “Do you girls know anything about this,” he pressed. “At all?” Contrary to what he apparently wanted us to think, it sounded ever so slightly like Dad was desperately trying to avoid what he thought was the truth of the situation. Trying to put this off on something else. Another of our crazy shenanigans to distract from something we had done over the summer and were sure to get yelled at about. It sounded like whatever was actually happening here, Dad really didn’t want it to be the truth.   
The three of us shook our heads, silenced by his sudden severity. “Well no, that’s kind of what we were trying to find out,” Alecia pointed out, quite rightly. “Do you?”  
Apparently, she hit a little too close to home and I shot her a ‘quit it’ look a little too late to save her, instead her own letter did.   
“Ilvermorny,” the letter piped up, “is a prestigious wizarding school situated on the highest point of Mount Greylock in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. It accepts students from all over the North American region, with aims to turn these boys and girls into powerful Witches and Wizards for the ages.”   
Again the room was filled with that stunned silence that it was becoming all too familiar with that day. Us girls stared at the letters, the letters look at us. From the edge of the couch, Mom looked up at Dad, still intent on tearing the pendant off her necklace.   
“Girls, why don’t you just go and unpack?” he requested quietly. The look on his face making me think he regretted what he had to do next.   
“Sure thing,” Yasmine agreed, grabbing my arm before I tried to snatch my letter out of the air. “Nope,” she whispered.   
But I saw that Alecia had my back as she almost managed to swipe all three of them together before Mom stopped her.   
“How about you leave them there, darling?” she asked.   
“Oh,” Alecia nodded. “Sure.” She turned to us. “Let’s go.”

… 

“Well that was almost worse than the time Devon and I broke multiple limbs falling from the treehouse,” I groaned letting myself free fall onto the end of Alecia’s bed. My youngest-by-a-few-seconds triplets bedroom always reminded me of the vintage bookstore in town that Dad would always drag us to. Sure Yasmine and I enjoyed it, but the only one who could really spend hours strolling the dusted shelves and her room completely reflected that down to the second-hand book smell she found so comforting.   
“We were at A&E until three am,” Yasmine reminded me from by the doorframe as she entered the room, a scrawny tabby kitten hidden in the crook of her arm.   
Raising my head I replied, “I said almost. Besides,” I added. “That time it wasn’t our fault, stupid rope ladder, no one told us it couldn’t hold two people.”   
“Ok, first,” Alecia started, holding up two singles before deciding which drawer they belonged in. “That rope ladder’s been there since Dad was our age, so it was bound to happen,” she stacked the tops in her dresser. “And ‘B’ this time wasn’t our fault either. We literally didn’t do a thing to bring this on.”  
“Hm,” I shrugged. With so many questions spinning in my head, I thought it was best to leave Alecia to hers. I let myself pretend for a second that everything, the letters, this so called ‘Ilvermorny’, was real. Would Mom and Dad really send us off to a magic wizarding school in the Berkshires just like that? How would we get there everyday? Would we board? With school during the term time and Summer Camp at summer vacation, the amount of time we spent actually at home would dwindle to almost nothing. And aside from that, since when were my sisters and I magical? I’m pretty sure I would have figured it out by now, the amount of time that had been spent watching ‘Wizards Of Waverly Place’ and casting spells all over the place, if we really had power something should have happened already. A window blown in or at the very least, a couple of pictures knocked off of the wall… 

I sat up so fast that I whacked my head on one of Alicia's book shelves, a memory from before I should have been able to remember flying back in full force.   
“I’m either going to have to move that shelf, or you’re going to have to watch where you put your head,” Alecia teased as I applied pressure to it.  
“Halloween 2006!” I rushed.   
“Oh, I was Pocahontas,” Yasmine piped up.   
“Alice,” Alecia added.   
“Yeah I was Tinkerbell, great year,” I finished wistfully before snapping back to the problem at hand. “Anyway, remember when we were trick or treating Josh dared me to jump off of the wall down by the Cooper’s house, because ‘if I was Tinkerbell I should be able to fly’.”  
Alecia nodded. “You and Josh really need to be kept separate.”   
“Yeah anyway,” I continued, still nursing my steadily bruising temple. “Allyson Frank does it and breaks a leg, Ollie Anderson does it and he’s concussed and out of school for a month, I do it-”  
“Foolishly,” Alecia and Yasmine chorused, obviously unplanned because they looked at each other like they’d scored some sort of lifetime achievement  
“I do it,” I repeated. “And I make it without a scratch! I literally remember stopping inches off of the ground before faceplanting into the sidewalk. If I hadn’t mysteriously stopped they would still have been scraping me off the concrete.”  
“Beautiful image,” Yasmine applauded me, shifting so her kitten could claw it’s way up the front of her shirt.   
I gave a slight bow, “thank you, I try. But I'm serious, somehow I stopped.”  
Yasmine nodded slowly weighing up the possibilities.   
“And you think that was our magic starting to show?” Alecia asked thoughtfully.   
I nodded. “Exactly, come on, isn’t there anything you guys remember that can’t be explained? Think really hard”  
The persistent ticking of Alecia’s alarm clock made itself known for the next few seconds as we all busied ourselves with sifting through memories.   
“Mathilda!” Aecia exclaimed, for the moment giving us no further explanation for now as she collected a few hardback books from around the room. Frightened by Alecia’s sudden outburst, Yasmine’s kitten retreated into its owner's pocket not to be seen until a later, and Alecia standing her selection of about three encyclopaedias and a limited edition copy of ‘Grimm's Fairytales’ up on their ends in the middle of her floor. Careful not to knock them over herself and send them sprawling like dominoes, my sister sat down crossed legged in front of her collection, starring at the books intently.   
“Um, not that I don’t enjoy book club,” I started quietly, for some reason not wanting to interrupt Alecia but on the other hand wanting to know what on earth she was getting at. “But in my relatively limited experience,” I carried on. “Book clubs usually have to talk.”  
Alecia shook her head. “Remember when I got the book ‘Matilda’ for Christmas that year?” she asked, refusing to let her gaze leave the books in front of her.   
Yasmine nodded and I answered, “yeah, you finished it in a day and then locked yourself in your room for the weekend.” I looked to Yasmine with a shrug. “I didn’t think it was that bad or sad but hey.”   
“I didn’t lock myself in,” Alecia corrected us, still not looking our way, “I was trying someth-”   
One of the heftiest books, previously firmly grounded was now hanging at Alecia’s eye level. Alecia smiled, “just like Matilda.”


	2. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was gonna post this next Tuesday but I decided what the heck.

Alecia

When it comes to stories I’ve never really liked the beginnings, they always lacked the action, excitement, and romance that could be found in the middle or the heart-wrenching climax of the end. Whenever one talks about their favourite books they will seldom mention the beginning, that moment that begun the adventure, they focus on the big moments and the journey they are taken on. It’s not until one finds themselves in their own story that they realise how important beginnings are, how much the little decisions can lead to a big discovery at the end of the book that leaves the reader reeling in pain and shock. How much beginnings can mean, and the impact they have on a storyline.  
In all aspects of life you will find yourself surrounded by uncertainty, unsure of what's going on or where to go next, drowning in thousands of questions all left unanswered. You’ll stare for hours at the facts in front of you and still draw up blanks. I have always hated not knowing all the answers, I score for hours through different books trying to discover just how many stars there are in our solar system and be unsatisfied with the lack of answers the thousands of astrologers can give me and scowl at my at my sister's claims of ‘that's the beauty of it, it leaves so much more to discover’. So as we sat in my room staring at the evidence of magic coursing through our veins, we all knew there was only one conclusion we could come to, one answer to the question running on loop in our head.  
“Hey isn’t that Aunt Stephie’s car.” Yasmine pipes up from her spot by the window. I jump from my bed and run to the window seat where I’ll often sit to read or draw my sisters playing in the back yard. I spotted the blue sedan turning into our drive.  
“It is!” Says Mara practically jumping on top of me. Yasmine and Mara bound out of the room to greet my aunt at the door, screaming their way down the stairs. “Mum, Dad, Auntie Stephie’s here.” They screamed and I roll my eyes and follow behind them stuffing the letters into my pillow case along with my good writing book and fountain pens. By the time I got downstairs Yas and Mara were clinging to our aunt showering her with question about why she was here, why had it been so long since she last visited, and what she brought us.  
“Girls calm down,” she says laughing. “Okay line up in age order,” Auntie Stephie smiles at as fondly as we scramble to line up against the foyer wall.  
“You know we are the same age Auntie Stephie, Mara was just a of me head by 15mins and 14 seconds, and Yas was just 17 minutes behind.” I said smiling cheekily at her.  
“Okay smarty pants.” She says walking down the line inspecting us. “Well I’m sorry to inform you but you're all still short.” We burst into giggles surging forward to give our favourite Aunt a hug. “Girls girls, I am here on business, take me to your leaders.” Leading her through the house towards our parents.  
“Mom! Dad! Auntie Stephie’s here!” Mara calls to our parents as we lead Auntie Stephie along.  
“I know I called her here.” Our dad says seriously, he’s in his usual seat in the sitting room looking at us with a knowing stare and smiling at our aunt as she enters the room. “We have something we need to discuss kids.”  
“Is this about the letters because I swear we had nothing to do with them, as awesome as it was and as much as I wish I could do that. We didn’t do it, and we think they might be really.” Mara explains quickly trailing off at the end.  
“We know.”  
“And we know how ridiculous it may sound but there have been a few incidents wand we think- wait you know?” We all look at our parents stunned at what they just said.  
“There are parts of our family that we’ve been keeping from you, now we need you to understand it’s not because we were ashamed of it but because we wanted to keep you safe.” Our father began, looking upon us with only kindness. “When I was younger, about 8 and your aunt was about to turn 11, your aunt received a letter, one that flew and spoke. One inviting her to a school called Ilvermorny.” We leaned forward in excitement looking to our aunt.  
“You're like us?”  
“Yes, I’m a witch, at age 11 I left for Ilvernmorny to learn magic and attended school there for seven years. The school is beautiful, with towers and many grand and large rooms, and you learn the most fascinating things there. There are four houses; Horned Serpent, Wumpus, Pukwudgie, and Thunderbird. Each house stands for a different part of the human being, has house colours and a mascot. Serpent is the mind with the mascot of a great horned river serpent with a jewel set in its forehead and its colours are purple and silver, Wampus the body has a magical panther like creature as its mascot which is said to be impossible to kill and its colours are red and eboney, Thunderbird which represents the soul has blue and gold for its house colours and has the mascot of a creature that can create storms as it flies, and finally Pukwudgie is the heart with a short grey faced creature with larges ears and the colours of green and copper.” She explains, eyes alight with excitement and passion. Part of me couldn’t help but wonder if all this was some elaborate prank, to get us back for the years of us causing trouble for them, but the way my aunt spoke about the this place made it seem so real and alive making me want to believe that this was more than just revenge.  
“So are you saying, we’re witches as well?” I say uncertainly wanting more than everything to believe that maybe there really was a world out there that reflected the ones in the pages of my books but not wanting to get my hopes up too soon. My aunt and parents all nodd. “And we have, to put it plainly, magical powers?” Again the nod, maybe because they did not know how to further explain it or maybe because they weren’t sure how we were handling it. Looking between my sisters unsure of where to go next Mara smiles widely.  
“So when do we leave?” She says and mum, dad, and Stephie burst out laughing and I roll my eyes at my older sister.  
“Mara honey slow down, we need discuss some things first,” our mother interrupted her smiling. “However, I take it from your anxious excitement that you want to accept your letter Mara, what about you two Yas, Alecia?” Mom says looking at us gently.  
“Why do you not have magic mama? Do you have magic dad, auntie Steph has magic so why don’t you? How do we?” I babble having so many questions running through my head, each craving an answer but just going through the first few that found their way out of my mouth.  
“I don’t know why I don’t have magic darling, I wasn’t born with it and as far as I know neither has anyone in my family. Personally I don’t know very much about magical genetics and how the trait is passed to a child or even if that’s at all how it works.” She looks to my aunt and father for help.  
“Magical genetics is not my area of expertise Lissy, so I don’t think I’m going to be able to give you a satisfying answer for that question. Though I can say that your grandmother was a witch, while your grandfather is a no-maj. I was born a witch, gaining my magic from my mother who got it from our other ancestors. You’re father however, was not born with magic and since our mother was a witch and there's magic in our bloodline this makes him a squib and even though you three have other witches and wizards in your bloodline it still makes you both no-maj born as both your parents are no-maj’s.” I nod slowly as she finishes understanding her words but still needing more answers.  
“If we don’t go to the school could our powers become dangerous?” Yasmine chimes into the conversation. For the look on her face I could tell she wanted to go to this school, but at the same time there was part of her that was a little bit afraid of the idea of going off to an unknown school and leaving our parents (and her pets) behind.  
“Though it hasn’t happened in America in quite some time, those who out of fear repress their magic can become something called an odscurial, which I will not go into what that is right now. However, since the three of you live in a loving and magically accepting environment you would never get to this point but if you do not learn how to control your magic you could potentially be dangerous to those around you as those who cannot control their magic will often use it accidentally.” Aunt Steph explains and Yasmine nods in understanding thinking over what she said.  
“Okay, I’m with Mara lets go.” Yasmine agrees and they all turn to me awaiting my decision. My head buzzes with all the leftover questions running through my head. Part of me wanted to go thinking this was the start of a great adventure and the best story and yes maybe Mara had floated, Yasmine had healed the broken wing of a bird, and I had made a book levitate, but then another part of me was still sceptical because that's exactly what it sounded like. A story, nothing more nothing less but I knew my parents and aunt would never be able to answer all of them to my satisfaction. So I settled on what I thought would be the simplest.  
“Can I see some magic?” I ask and Mara looks at me smirking and Yasmine leant forward curiously. My parents looked to my aunt and she smiled as she pulled a stick from the inner pocket of her coat.  
“This is my wand, all witches and wizards have one, it helps them channel and control their magic and uses less energy than wandless magic.” She flicks it and mutters something under her breath and suddenly the tip of her wand emits a bright white light. “This is a spell you will learn in charms in your third year of school called Lumos Maxima.”  
“Cool.” My sisters and I say together as my aunt whispers something else and the light disappears.  
“So is that a yes Alecia?” My mother asks smiling, already knowing the answer.  
“Definitely.” I say excitedly. My aunt and parents laugh and my aunt pulls out a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket.  
“Now generally most people use feather quills in the wizarding world, but personally I find a no-maj pen easier to carry around and it's less likely to leak ink in your pocket.” She explains writing our note of acceptance. Walking over to the window she opens it and whistles loudly, my sisters and I jump as a large owl lands on her shoulder.  
“That's an eagle owl!” Yasmine says shocked walking over to our aunt to get a closer look. “It's not native to this area, the American suburbs don’t really offer the amount of open space it requires. How do you have one? Let alone one so well trained?” She asks interrogating our aunt about the giant bird that flew through the window.  
“Owls are a key part of the Wizarding world communications and mailing system, when you’re part of our world you will find them much easier come by and train.” Stephie said smiling knowingly.  
“Okay that is cool,” Yasmine said jumping up thinking of another question. “Are there any animals in the wizarding world that no-maj’s don’t know about?” she asks eagerly.  
“More than you can imagine, and then some you know of but only in fairy tales.” She replied knowingly before sending her owl off.  
“Now onto the equipment you girls will need. We will need to go to Trapp Street to get all of that sorted, however let’s not do that today I think it would be best to let you all just adjust to this change for tonight, especially your parents.” She laughs. “Though Jenn, Ethan maybe we could give the girls back their letters now so they can have a proper little read through them.” We all nod enthusiastically as our dad grabs the letters out of the drawer next to him before handing them to us, checking the name of each letter. Getting the chance I look closer at the letter, analysing every aspect of it, from the elegant slope of the the handwriting to the soft feel of the paper used and how it seemed to have this sparkle to it of a hidden magic.  
“How do you get to the school?” Another question breaks free from my head and my sisters nod eager to know.  
“Well, in the wizarding world we have this mode of transportation called Floo travel. Where basically most of the wizarding world is connected by the Floo Network and a witch or wizard can go from one place to another by the traveler speaking the name of the place they want to go as clearly as possible, as if it's not you can sometimes end up in the wrong place. Generally you use a very generic kind of Floo powder which you can buy on Trap Street. However, for Ilvernmorny there is a special kind of Floo powder specific to the school making it so you cannot get there without some. This powder will appear in your envelopes when it is time for you to leave for school and if not used will disappear, to make sure that no one uninvited is able to get to the school.” She explained as we nodded.  
“Wait are you meaning to tell me that wizards and witches travel through fireplaces?” Mara asks in disbelief.  
“Well not always and generally when with those under 17 as when you turn 17 you get your apperation licence and no longer need to travel by Floo.” She says and we all look at each other quizzically. “And before you ask yes you can take people with you when apperating it's just not a very pleasant experience for the passenger so one tends to not apperate with children. And as for what apperation is I’m going to leave that one for you to discover yourselves.”  
“Why 17?” Yasmine asked.  
“Because that’s when wizards and witches come of age, they are allowed to live on their own, apparate, and use magic outside of school.” I nod beginning to understand this new world and getting a greater picture in my mind. My sisters and aunt keep talking as I become lost in thought wondering about this new part of the world that has just been unlocked for me and what opportunities it holds.  
“What sort of classes do you take?” I chime in unsure of where the conversation has been while I was lost in my own thoughts and I noticed my parents weren’t even in the room anymore but I could hear the kettle boiling so I guess they had navigated to the kitchen.  
“Well first years, such as yourselves, you take the standard classes such as Charms, Potions, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Astronomy, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology. In the third year, you begin taking electives and there are also extracurricular activities though they may have changed since I was there.”  
“What about maths, English, and science.” I ask confused as Mara tries to subtly cough nerd beside me.  
“You will find different aspects in those in all your classes, you write a lot of essays and these classes teach you more about the science of the wizarding world. Because there's a science to everything. Maths you will find mainly in options however in the third year you can choose an elective call Arithmancy that is more or less wizard maths.” That makes sense I guess there must be a lot of aspects of each world that are not the same and why would you learn no-maj science if it doesn’t apply to the wizarding world.  
“Girls what do you want to drink?” My mother calls from the kitchen.  
“A hot chocolate please, with cinnamon.” Mara instantly replies, no matter what the season that's always her go to drink. Though generally she only adds cinnamon in winter or when something big has happened, and I guess with the day we’ve had something big has.  
“I’ll just have a juice please mom.” Yasmine follows voice quieter than Mara’s.  
“Tea please mama.” I’ve always had a weird addiction to tea for an 11 year old, apart from Aunt Stephie I’m basically the only one in the family who drinks it.  
“I think it’s time to take a break from all the magic talk for now don’t you girls.” Aunt Stephie suggests as mom brings out our suggested drinks and we all nod in agreement. Needing time to process everything and think things over.  


… 

Tossing and turning I try to fall asleep as my head buzzed with thousands of questions about what my life was about to become and how much it would change. As much as I loved the thought of being a witch and going to a school within a land straight out a fairy tale, I still was unsure if I was okay with the whole boring school idea, or even if I had fully expected that magic is a thing. Flicking my light on for the fifth time since I had supposedly went to bed, however instead of picking up the battered copy of Matilda again I pulled my sketch book out from under my bedside. Turning it to the picture I began working on during camp, of the view of the lake from the porch of the cabin I was in. As I continued to add depth and shade to the picture I allow the movement of my hand across the page and the combining of the blues and whites of the water to calm me, pulling my focus from the mess of my mind and forcing it to quieten down.  
As my thoughts became less jumbled I was easily able to process through them fighting my doubts with the evidence I had placed before me earlier this afternoon, and reminding myself that no matter what challenges this world was going to face me with I would have Mara and Yasmine with me. Breathing easier I looked down to the page and grabbing a darker blue pencil before adding the silhouette of three young girls sitting at the edge of the lake into the picture. I begin to wonder if maybe once I began to learn magic I would learn a way to, charm, my drawings so that the water would move and ripple like the lake at camp and the three girls could braid each others hair or the kite that the pictures Mara holds in her hand would move in the breeze. As I finish the final touches to the sky of the photo I begin to smile, all the fearful and worrying questions and doubts flew from my mind and were replaced with hope and excitement.  
And as I fell asleep I was thrown into dreams of magic spells and unknown creatures, castles with moving pictures with lives of their own. But as I made my way deeper and deeper into this land I began to learn that not all ways as it seemed, people's faces became blurred and hidden by masks and the sky got darker with each passing moment. I was thrown back and everything became blurred I couldn’t move and it was as it something was pressing down on my chest making it hard for me to breath. Tossing and turning I tried to escape to get back to the bright lights of the magical spells and smiling faces of children dressed in robes but whatever was holding me down wouldn’t let me escape. Finally, a bright light burst out from the corner of my vision and I was released from the suffocating hold but was now afraid of what lurked behind every corner, and wondering why the lung-crushing feeling felt so real.


End file.
